Healthy Oil Alternatives

Mix up the flavor (and health benefits) of your next dish with these five alternatives toextra virgin olive oil.

Walnut Oil

Time to oil up. Walnut oil is tasty in salad dressings and drizzled over prepared dishes, but it needs to be refrigerated and should not be used for cooking.

The Benefits: Because walnuts are one of the best sources of plant-based omega-fatty acids, regular use of walnut oil could help reduce your risk of coronary heart disease.

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Coconut oil

Ah yes, coconut oil. Other than olive, I love cooking with both grapeseed and coconut oils! It is a vegan friendly baking substitute for butter and good for low-heat cooking, up to 350° (It solidifies at room temperature but liquefies with low heat).

The Benefits: Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat, but research suggests that it’s metabolized in the body more like unsaturated oil, possibly because it comes from a plant rather than an animal source.

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Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil has a clean, light, neutral taste and can be used in almost any dish, hot or cold. It can withstand high heat, up to 485°. You can store it for 3 months at room temperature (so as long as it does not exceed 70°) or longer in the fridge.

The Benefits: Grapeseed oil is rich in the antioxidant vitamin E, which is often in short supply in the western diet.

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Avocado Oil

Avocadooil is a great option if you don’t want to overpower a dish other ingredients. It has a mild, nutty flavor and a high smoking point (520°), making it good for stir-frying, sautéing, roasting, and even baking.

The Benefits: Like olive oil, avocado is high in monounsaturated fats that help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase “good” HDL.

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Sesame Oil

Sesame oil shines in vinaigrettes for noodles and green salads but shouldn’t be heated, unless you use very little in dishes (i.e., turnip greens). When stir-frying add it towards the end of cooking or when done prior to serving. Keep it refrigerated.

The Benefits: The sesame seeds that are used to create the oil form antioxidants during roasting. And getting antioxidants in our diet is always a plus.